Spatial Autoregressive Models for House Price Dynamics in Italy

This paper elaborates a Spatial Autoregressive and Spatial Error Model (SAR-SE Model) to investigate the Italian house price dynamics. House prices in real terms have been modelled for the period 1995-2008 in all the 103 Italian provinces along with affordability ratio, persistency term, some social-economic variables and credit market variables. One of the key results of this paper, is the evidence on house price spatial autocorrelation, verified through the Baltagi, Song and Koh (2003) LM test. On the contrary, no evidence of housing price overvaluation has been found, in comparison with the fundamental values determined by interest rates, households income, rents, employment and construction cost.house prices, fundamentals, mean reversion, serial correlation, spatial dependence

Analysis of scientific collaboration network of Italian Institute of Technology

AbstractIt has been proven that collaboration between authors leads to a positive influence on research. This paper aims to analyse the complex structure of the co-authorship network among researchers of the Italian Institute of Technology. In this paper, we examine two different co-authorship networks created starting from the data of the papers published by the Italian Institute of Technology during the period 2006–2019. We apply the main Social Network Analysis techniques to describe the relational structure of the group of researchers and its evolution over time. The structure and characteristics of the networks are analysed both at macro and micro levels, and an attempt is made to identify a possible relationship between the position of researchers in the graphs and their scientific productivity and quality

Influence of Storage Media on Color Stability of Different Resin Composites as Determined by \u394E and \u394E00

Objective: To evaluate the color stability of 3 different resin composites when exposed to storage in water, air or artificial saliva. Materials and Methods: Initial color of 81 specimens was assessed by a calibrated reflectance spectrophotometer over a black as well as a white background. Specifically, 9 disc shaped specimens made out of 3 resin composite materials were kept in distilled water, air and artificial saliva (Glandosane) at 37\ub0C. After a storage period of 4 weeks, spectrophotometric measurements were repeated and the color changes calculated by means of \u394E and \u394E00. Results: When analysed over a white background, median \u394E values varied from 0.6 (Filtek Supreme Dentin/water) to 7.1 (Filtek Supreme Enamel/Glandosane). When analysed over a black background median \u394E values varied from 0.4 (Filtek Supreme Dentin/water) to 5.0 (Filtek Supreme Enamel/Glandosane). When analysed over a white background, median \u394E00 values varied from 0.4 (Filtek Supreme Dentin/water) to 4.6 (Filtek Supreme Enamel/Glandosane). When analysed over a black background median \u394E00 values varied from 0.4 (Filtek Supreme Dentin/water) to 4.6 (Filtek Supreme Enamel/Glandosane). Statistical analysis performed by means of ANOVA and Fisher\u2019s LSD post hoc tests showed differences between groups. The correlation between \u394E and \u394E00 was 99.09% and 99.65% over black and white background, respectively. Conclusion: Within the limits of the present study, storage media significantly influenced color stability of resin composites

Ranking and Prioritization of Emergency Departments Based on Multi-indicator Systems

In this work we discuss how Emergency Departments (EDs) can be ranked on the basis of multiple indicators. This problem is of absolute relevance due to the increasing importance of EDs in regional healthcare systems and it is also complex as the number of indicators that have been proposed in the literature to measure ED performance is very high. Current literature faces this problem using synthetic (or numerically aggregated) indicators of a set of performance measures but, although simple, this solution has a number of drawbacks that make this choice inefficient: a compensation effect among the indicators; a high degree of subjectivism in the indicators weighting; opacity in the decision making; all the EDs are considered to be comparable. Indeed, the situations in which EDs are comparable (i.e. when all the performance of one ED are not lower than the performance indicators of the other) are a minority and incomparability is by itself a source of information that should be used to identify situations for which different policy actions should be designed. In this work we propose to use non compensatory composite indicators and partial ordering theory to rank and compare EDs giving value to the reasons of such an incomparability. These methods are applied on a case study of 19 EDs in an administrative region in Italy. \ua9 2016, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

Short and long run income elasticity of gambling tax bases: evidence from Italy

In periods of economic recession and budget constraints, it becomes essential for the governments to understand which tax revenues are more likely to guarantee a stable or increasing amount of revenues able to support the provision of main public services without depending too much on variation in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The aim of this paper is to analyze a particular source of tax revenues in Italy, namely gambling tax revenue split by game type (i.e. Lotto; Lotteries; Entertainment machines), in order to understand how tax bases react to changes in income, providing a measure of short run (variability over the business cycle) and long run (growth) income elasticity of different gambling tax revenues. Results show that gambling activities tend to be impressively reactive to variation in income in the long run, and, on the contrary, not particularly volatile in the short run

Influence of background on natural tooth colour coordinates: an in vivo evaluation

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different backgrounds on spectrophotometric colour values of natural teeth. Twenty volunteers (10 males and 10 females) with a mean age of 25years and 9months (±3years and 2months) were each subjected to 4 spectrophotometric measurements of their upper right central incisor. Each sample was measured with alternatively black, 50% grey, white or no background (positive control). ΔE medians ranged from 0.9 to 5.9. All artificial backgrounds presented significant differences (p0.05). If an artificial background needs to be used, as for example when performing in vitro studies, preference should be given to a black background as it approaches best the clinical situation (i.e. no background). Even if no statistically significant differences were found when compared with the grey background, the black background should be preferred due to its lower ΔE medians, standard deviation as well as lower minimum and maximum values

Is it still worthwhile to perform quarterly CD4+ T lymphocyte cell counts on HIV-1 infected stable patients?

Background: In the last twenty years routine T CD4+ lymphocyte (CD4) cell count has proved to be a key factor to determine the stage of HIV infection and start or discontinue of prophylaxis for opportunistic infections. However, several studies recently showed that in stable patients on cART a quarterly CD4 cell count monitoring results in limited (or null) clinical relevance. The research is intended to investigate whether performing quarterly CD4 cell counts in stable HIV-1 patients is still recommendable and to provide a forecast of the cost saving that could be achieved by reducing CD4 monitoring in such a category of patients. Methods: The study is based on data referring to all HIV-infected patients > 18 years of age being treated at two infectious diseases units located in the metropolitan area of Genoa, Italy. The probability of CD4 cell counts dropping below a threshold value set at 350 cells/mm3 is assessed using confidence intervals and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, whereas multivariate Cox analysis and logistic regression are implemented in order to identify factors associated with CD4 cell count falls below 350 cells/mm3. Results: Statistical analysis reveals that among stable patients the probability of maintaining CD4 >350 cell/mm3 is more than 98%. Econometric models indicate that HCV co-infection and HIV-RNA values >50 copies/mL in previous examinations are associated with CD4 falls below 350 cells/mm3. Moreover, results suggest that the cost saving that could be obtained by reducing CD4 examinations ranges from 33% to 67%. Conclusions: Empirical findings show that patients defined as stable at enrollment are highly unlikely to experience a CD4 value <350 cell/mm3 in the space/arc of a year. The research supports a recommendation for annual CD4 monitoring in stable HIV-1 patients

Evaluation of the galactogogue effect of silymarin on mothers of preterm newborns (<32 weeks)

Hypogalactia has a relative high frequency in women having delivered preterm infants, who often have difficulties in maintaining a sufficient production of milk for their infants’ needs over prolonged periods of time. Recent studies have shown a potential galactogogue effect of silymarin on milk production in animal models (cows and rats) and in humans (mothers of term newborns); nonetheless, none of the studies conducted on humans consisted of double-blind randomized clinical trials and no data are available concerning mothers who delivered preterm infants. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy of silymarin (BIO-C®) as galactogogue and its tolerability in mothers who delivered preterm infants. We enrolled 50 mothers at 10±1 days post-partum who had delivered infants at ® and placebo arms. No adverse events were observed in the 2 arms among mothers and infants, and silymarin and its metabolites were not detectable in the analyzed human milk samples. Further investigation on specific patient groups affected by hypogalactia, defined according to stricter criteria, should be planned to assess the efficacy of the product in increasing milk production

Echocardiographic Normal Reference Ranges for Non-invasive Myocardial Work Parameters in Pediatric Age: Results From an International Multi-Center Study

This international multi-center study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of non-invasive myocardial work (MW) parameters in the pediatric population, and to provide normal reference ranges for this useful echocardiographic tool in this specific subset of patients

Hypoalbuminemia as a predictor of acute kidney injury during colistin treatment

This study aimed to assess the predictors of acute kidney injury (AKI) during colistin therapy in a cohort of patients with bloodstream infections (BSI) due to colistin-susceptible Gram-negative bacteria, focusing on the role of serum albumin levels. The study consisted of two parts: (1) a multicentre retrospective clinical study to assess the predictors of AKI during colistin therapy, defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria; and (2) bioinformatic and biochemical characterization of the possible interaction between human serum albumin and colistin. Among the 170 patients included in the study, 71 (42%), 35 (21%), and 11 (6%) developed KDIGO stage 1 (K1-AKI), KDIGO stage 2 (K2-AKI), and KDIGO stage 3 (K3-AKI), respectively. In multivariable analyses, serum albumin <2.5 g/dL was independently associated with K1-AKI (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] 1.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17\u20132.93, p = 0.009) and K2-AKI (sHR 2.37, 95% CI 1.15\u20134.87, p = 0.019). Bioinformatic and biochemical analyses provided additional information nurturing the discussion on how hypoalbuminemia favors development of AKI during colistin therapy. In conclusion, severe hypoalbuminemia independently predicted AKI during colistin therapy in a large cohort of patients with BSI due to colistin-susceptible Gram-negative bacteria. Further study is needed to clarify the underlying causal pathways